Album Notes

With this debut release, Jam Camp strives to recapture the excitement of classic jam sessions, placing soul and statement before gimmick and hook.

******************

Don't miss out: Black Hills Jam (2004) and Jam Camp Live! (2006) are also available here at CDBABY... get 'em all!

******************

Reviews:

"If you are bored with formulaic pop and pine for the good old days of 'super sessions', guitar duels and 70's art-rock, this will be right up your alley." - Midi Guitarist

"Instrumental rock fans unite; this disc has it all! Guitarists David Broyles and Michael Smith, bassist Jess White and drummer Joel Veatch reference tons of people, bands and ideals: Dixie Dregs, Allan Holdsworth (circa IOU), Pat Methany, Passport, Steve Howe, Patrick O'Hearn (on the surreal electronic ditty "Industrial Dawn"), Andy Summers, Leo Kottke. In other words, Jam Camp's debut dabbles in laissez-faire blues ("Shake Those Blues"), breezy jazz-rock ("West 8"), melodic introspective rock ("Circles"), modes of user-friendly boogie-funk, West Coast jazz-psychedelia and just about everything in between... Jam Camp do what they do with great skill and ease." -i/e Magazine

"Primary influences seem to be the 1980's instrumental work of Frank Zappa, touches of Return to Forever and Shadowfax." - Audion, UK

"Jam Camp is a four-man group that apparently gets together for the joy of just playing... I sure hope they decide to make this an on going series and release the rest of their holdings. Jam Camp practices fusion along the lines of Janne Schaeffer, Lee Ritenour, Crossfire and all those others who inhabit that shadow world of not-jazz-not-prog fusion that critics have a tough time with. Jam Camp has a driving upbeat instrumentality - adventurous and harmonic yet cut with just enough mellow spirit to take the edge off it all. Sort of whisky sippin' music for connoisseurs of twilight musical categories." - Camera Obscura

"What these guys do, and damned well, is play jazz, rock and blues. At times Jam Camp plays in a style reminiscent of Al DiMeola, at times they sound like an ECM group, and in one instance you'd swear you were listening to ZZ Top. There are also many moments when I am reminded of the Northwest Jazz Sextet. What's impressive is that the band establishes their own tone and style; they sound kind of like those other folks without being derivative. Their music is original, and it's quite good." - The Rocket

"Seattle based jazz rock outfit Jam Camp have released a wonderful self-titled debut CD. David Broyles, Michael Smith, Jess White and Joel Veatch have come together to create one of the best jazz-rock releases to come out in years. It varies from light acoustic melodies to breezy jazz to electric guitar wizardry. The CD contains more than 52 minutes of instrumental material, providing the perfect accompaniment to a good book and a cup of tea or coffee on a rainy Sunday afternoon. It also sounds good turned up loud when lying on the couch with a can of beer after a hard day at work. Jam Camp is full of vim and vigor, and strongly recommended." - Wire

"The band's guitar-based sound is refreshingly clean, uncomplicated by the electronic gimmickery and overproduction that characterize most of today's jazz-rock fusion effort. The themes are generally based on sequences of alternating chords that serve as an improvisational springboard. Both guitarists are admirably eclectic soloists whose style ranges from lyrically distorted blues-rock to crisp fusionesque flatpick to gentle folkstyle fingerpicking... The sound on this digitally recorded CD is warm and brilliant, making optimal use of stereophonic separation." - The Consumer Guide

"Jam Camp is a two guitar, bass and drums quartet which focuses on intense guitar playing and strong rhythms and grooves. Guitarist David Broyles also plays guitar-synthesizer that adds beautiful tones and plush textures to their sound... If you are looking for nice, up-beat music, find this CD and buy it!" - Background Progressive Rock Magazine

"The instrumental virtuosity is undeniable, but guitarists David Broyles and Michael Smith do not rely on blinding speed or machine gunfire riffing, rather they engage the listener with inventive melodies and strong instrumental interplay. Still, when they want, they can match dexterity with the best of them, as with the smoking "Circles" proves. While generally not as blistering as Ozric Tentacles or Djam Karet, this stuff is very tasty. And these guys are not satisfied to be confined to the progressive or fusion categories, as the bluesy "Shake Those Blues" confirms." - Dean Suzuki



Produced by Joel Veatch & Michael Tortorello